Lets negotiate

[Drago]

Has anyone noticed the latest trend among smart arse politicians, mainly Tories but some commies do it too, of pronouncing the word 'negotiate' to sound like 'neg-oh-see-ate'? BBC news readers have started doing it now and, heavens above, they've just let someone loose on Radio 4 who pronounced it the same way and I didn't hear a single gasp of horror or monocle being dropped.

We don't eat a port-see-on of chips, and women don't have ab-or-see-ons, and the British do not neg-oh-see-ate.

Stop it BBC, before I write an angry letter to Points of View. Stop it politicians, or I'll vote UKIP.

Thank you.

 

[classic33]

Set Anne Robinson on them!!

 

[Supersuperleeds]

That's nearly as bad as when people pronounce England as Engurland

 

[steve50]

That's nearly as bad as when people pronounce England as Engurland

Or "Englandshire" which I find equally annoying.

 

[winjim]

In order to ingratiate myself, I may initiate a negotiation in order to differentiate and thereby circumstantiate the pronunciation of this word. I hope you wouldn't consider me licentiate because I am actually novitiate although I hope to potentiate in order to propitiate and satiate, and hence substantiate your post.

 

[Drago]

Er, yes, that's right. I think.

 

[raleighnut]

You are Probly right.

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

That's nearly as bad as when people pronounce England as Engurland

Every fule nose it's "that England"

 

[Shut Up Legs]

We 'Strayans are sticklers for correct pronunciation.

 

[ayceejay]

I ashly heard somebody say irregardless the other day, the word is like finger nails on a blackboard to me but people prolly use it alatime amirite?

 

[robjh]

Has anyone noticed the latest trend among smart arse politicians, mainly Tories but some commies do it too, of pronouncing the word 'negotiate' to sound like 'neg-oh-see-ate'? BBC news readers have started doing it now and, heavens above, they've just let someone loose on Radio 4 who pronounced it the same way and I didn't hear a single gasp of horror or monocle being dropped.

We don't eat a port-see-on of chips, and women don't have ab-or-see-ons, and the British do not neg-oh-see-ate.

Stop it BBC, before I write an angry letter to Points of View. Stop it politicians, or I'll vote UKIP.

Thank you.

I take it you would expect neg--oh-she-ate or neg-oh-shate? Those are more like my pronunciation but I'm aware of the other one and I doubt it's new, just posh (for want of a better word).

And PLEASE don't carry out your last threat - nothing's worth that!

 

[Smokin Joe]

I've noticed an increasing number of interviewees who begin every answer with "So". Drives me nuts.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Ahem, thread title: let's not lets.

Actually, I don't have the slightest idea why a word taken from the French ''négocier'' managed to get misspelt in the first place. They must have back formed it from négotiation while ignoring (or being ignorant) of the existing verb.

 

[Ian H]

Ahem, thread title: let's not lets.

Actually, I don't have the slightest idea why a word taken from the French ''négocier'' managed to get misspelt in the first place. They must have back formed it from négotiation while ignoring (or being ignorant) of the existing verb.

Perhaps because Old French was spelt differently, even variously.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Perhaps because Old French was spelt differently, even variously.

Possible, but more likely that taking the /t/ from the original Latin negotiari felt more authoritative. Incidentally, Churchill called it jaw jaw and found it preferable to war war, which wouldn't rhyme in many languages....